He declined the opportunity to play the Third Doctor in the popular BBC series "Doctor Who" (1963), after the departure of Patrick Troughton in 1969. The part eventually went to Jon Pertwee. He later described this as "the worst decision [he] ever made.".

Columbia producers wanted to cast Peter Sellers as Fagin in Oliver! (1968), but Lionel Bart and Carol Reed both insisted that Moody should be allowed to reprise his acclaimed stage role.